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| Kentucky Detention Center Awarded Grant |
| By The Enquirer |
| Published: 10/24/2005 |
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The Kenton County Detention Center is among nine recipients of a new Kentucky state grant to help prisoners rid themselves of drug and alcohol addictions and reduce crowding in state jails. The $68,760 grant is part of $500,000 in state money awarded for six new substance abuse treatment programs and three existing ones, said Stacy Floden, spokeswoman for the state Office of Drug Control Policy. Kenton County's jail is the only Northern Kentucky recipient of the grant, which is renewable up to three years. The effort is part of a range of initiatives by Gov. Ernie Fletcher to reduce repeat offenders in the state's inmate population through better substance abuse treatment. Studies have shown that less than 20 percent of prisoners with substance abuse problems are able to get treatment, Floden said. "It's going to save the taxpayers money, and it's going to hopefully save a few lives," Kenton County Jailer Terry Carl said. Until now, the Kenton County Detention Center has relied mostly on volunteers for substance abuse education and treatment. Initially, the program will serve about 20 men, but Kenton County Jail officials hope to later increase the numbers served and eventually provide substance abuse treatment for the female prisoners, who make up about 18 percent of the jail's population, Carl said. Thanks to the grant, the jail plans to add a full-time clinical service provider from the Talbert House in about 30 days. That person will work with the jail in screening eligible inmates, assessing the participants' needs, providing individual and group counseling and helping inmates develop a plan aimed at helping them avoid relapses that could send them back to jail, said Tim Alley, director of court treatment services for Talbert House. Only inmates involved in nonviolent crimes and drug and alcohol offenses such as driving under the influence will be eligible. After successful completion of the program, an inmate will go before a judge and seek a reduced sentence. While the inmate still will have to work with a probation officer, the hope is that the treatment program will make it easier to avoid criminal offenses. "Our goal is to make our communities safer by reducing the chance that ex-prisoners will return to a life of crime," Floden said. "Right now, we're releasing offenders, only to have them go back out and re-offend because they're still drug addicts." |
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